The Cardboard Box Economy Is Breaking Down

The pulpwood market in the American South faces an existential crisis as demand for cardboard and paper products declines. Despite the rise of e-commerce, per capita usage of container board has dropped due to technological improvements in packaging, the shift toward plastic mailers, and increased recycling. This decline has devastated the market for pulpwood, a crucial byproduct of timber farming that traditionally provided steady income for growers while they waited for trees to mature into high-value lumber. With pulpwood prices falling to zero and local mills closing, multi-generational timber families like the Howards are forced to reduce planting densities, pivot to alternative land uses like solar farms or blueberries, or face financial ruin. This shift threatens the long-term viability of the regional timber industry and the livelihoods of those deeply attached to their forest land.